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International Journal for Equity in Health

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Open Access 01-12-2020 | Care | Research

Socioeconomic inequalities in the place of death in urban small areas of three Mediterranean cities

Authors: Andreu Nolasco, Manuel Fernández-Alcántara, Pamela Pereyra-Zamora, María José Cabañero-Martínez, José M. Copete, Adriana Oliva-Arocas, Julio Cabrero-García

Published in: International Journal for Equity in Health | Issue 1/2020

Abstract

Background

Dying at home is the most frequent preference of patients with advanced chronic conditions, their caregivers, and the general population. However, most deaths continue to occur in hospitals. The objective of this study was to analyse the socioeconomic inequalities in the place of death in urban areas of Mediterranean cities during the period 2010–2015, and to assess if such inequalities are related to palliative or non-palliative conditions.

Methods

This is a cross-sectional study of the population aged 15 years or over. The response variable was the place of death (home, hospital, residential care). The explanatory variables were: sex, age, marital status, country of birth, basic cause of death coded according to the International Classification of Diseases, 10th revision, and the deprivation level for each census tract based on a deprivation index calculated using 5 socioeconomic indicators. Multinomial logistic regression models were adjusted in order to analyse the association between the place of death and the explanatory variables.

Results

We analysed a total of 60,748 deaths, 58.5% occurred in hospitals, 32.4% at home, and 9.1% in residential care. Death in hospital was 80% more frequent than at home while death in a nursing home was more than 70% lower than at home. All the variables considered were significantly associated with the place of death, except country of birth, which was not significantly associated with death in residential care. In hospital, the deprivation level of the census tract presented a significant association (p < 0.05) so that the probability of death in hospital vs. home increased as the deprivation level increased. The deprivation level was also significantly associated with death in residential care, but there was no clear trend, showing a more complex association pattern. No significant interaction for deprivation level with cause of death (palliative, not palliative) was detected.

Conclusions

The probability of dying in hospital, as compared to dying at home, increases as the socioeconomic deprivation of the urban area of residence rises, both for palliative and non-palliative causes. Further qualitative research is required to explore the needs and preferences of low-income families who have a terminally-ill family member and, in particular, their attitudes towards home-based and hospital-based death.

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Title: Socioeconomic inequalities in the place of death in urban small areas of three Mediterranean cities
Authors: Andreu Nolasco
Manuel Fernández-Alcántara
Pamela Pereyra-Zamora
María José Cabañero-Martínez
José M. Copete
Adriana Oliva-Arocas
Julio Cabrero-García
Publication date: 01-12-2020
Publisher: BioMed Central
Keyword: Care
Published in: International Journal for Equity in Health / Issue 1/2020
Electronic ISSN: 1475-9276
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12939-020-01324-y

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

Springer Medicine

Socioeconomic inequalities in the place of death in urban small areas of three Mediterranean cities

Abstract

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

Springer Medicine

Abstract

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

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